The blockade and hostilities restrict not only the movement of asylum seekers, but also aid workers in Gaza. Top news of the day | Friday: Tajikistan, Gaza, food prices, Hurricane Beryl UN
Top news of the day at the UN and around the world: UN chief speaks in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe, forced displacement in Gaza, FAO predicts record grain harvest, tens of thousands affected by hurricane in Caribbean.
UN Secretary General in Tajikistan
In a world divided by geopolitical differences, Central Asia is choosing the path of solidarity and unification around common solutions. Tajikistan, “with its wonderful leadership,” is an important part of this process. This was stated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking to reporters in Dushanbe on Friday. Tajikistan became the fourth stop on the UN chief’s multi-day tour of the countries of Central Asia. Previously, he visited Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, where he spoke at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
The situation in Gaza
As the displacement continues, Gazans are being forced into increasingly confined and overcrowded territory, according to a statement from the United Nations Relief Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA). In Nuseirat, people take shelter on the shore, build walls of sand to protect themselves from the tides, and use seawater for washing, cleaning and even drinking. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stressed that 90 percent of Gazans have been forced to relocate at least once. At the same time, the blockade and hostilities restrict not only the movement of asylum seekers, but also humanitarian workers trying to provide assistance to those in need, the UN notes.
FAO Index
The average world prices for food products did not change in June: the increase in international quotations for vegetable oils, sugar and dairy products compensated for the decrease in the cost of grains. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced this on Friday. FAO also updated its forecast for world cereal production in 2024 to 2,854 million tonnes, a new all-time high. World rice production is projected to reach a record 535.1 million tons.
Atlantic Hurricane
Hurricane « Beryl headed toward Mexico on Friday after making landfall in the Caribbean islands earlier this week. This year’s hurricane season is likely to be long and cause more destruction, according to UN agencies and their partners. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the dangerous winds were affecting the most vulnerable populations in Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados and Jamaica. In Mexico, the hurricane has destroyed the coastline and is now slowly heading inland. Beryl, currently a Category 2 hurricane, is forecast to weaken as it passes through the Yucatan Peninsula.